s^. 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


:/. 


1.0 


I.I 


1.25 


•^  IM    1 2.2 
2.0 


1.8 


U    ill  1.6 


V] 


<^ 


/i 


(? 


^l 


3 


^r/ 


y 


y^ 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 

1980 


Technical  Notes  /  Notes  techniques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Physical 
features  of  this  copy  which  may  alter  any  of  the 
images  in  the  reproduction  are  checked  below. 


D 
D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couvertures  de  couleur 


Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  gdographiques  en  couleur 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  6t6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Certains 
ddfauts  susceptibles  de  nuire  d  la  quality  de  la 
reproduction  sont  not6s  ci-dessous. 


n 


Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 


Coloured  plates/ 
Planches  en  couleur 


0 

n 


Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  ddcolordes,  tachetdes  ou  piqu6es 


Tight  binding  (may  cause  shadows  or 
distortion  along  interior  margin)/ 
Reliure  serrd  (peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou 
de  la  distortion  le  long  de  la  marge 
intdrieure) 


0 


D 


Show  through/ 
Transparence 


Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagdes 


D 


Additional  comments/ 
Commentaires  suppldmentaires 


Bibliographic  Notes  /  Notes  bibliographiques 


D 
D 


Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relid  avec  d'autres  documents 


D 
D 


Pagination  incorrect/ 
Erreurs  de  pagination 


Pages  missing/ 
Des  pages  manquent 


D 


Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


D 


Maps  missing/ 

Des  cartes  gdographiques  manquent 


n 


Plates  missing/ 

Des  planches  manquent 


D 


Additional  comments/ 
Commentaires  suppldmentaires 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considerinq  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  it6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettet«  de  I'exemplaire  filmd,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche  shall 
contain  the  symbol  —►(meaning  CONTINUED"), 
or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"),  whichever 
applies. 

The  original  copy  was  borrowed  from,  and 
filmed  with,  the  kind  consent  of  the  following 
institution: 

National  Library  of  Canada 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaltra  sur  la  der- 
nidre  image  de  chaque  microfiche,  selon  le  cas: 
le  symbols  —►  signifie  "A  SUIVRE ',  le  symbole 
V  signifie  "FIN". 

L'exemplaire  filmi  fut  reproduit  grfice  d  la 
g6n6rosit6  de  I'dtablissement  prdteur 
suivant  : 

Bibliothdque  nationale  du  Canada 


Maps  or  plates  too  large  to  be  entirely  included 
in  one  exposure  are  filmed  beginning  in  the 
upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to  right  and  top  to 
bottom,  as  many  frame-?  as  required.  The 
following  diagrams  illustrate  the  method: 


Les  cartes  ou  les  planches  trop  grandes  pour  dtre 
reproduites  en  un  seul  citchd  sont  filmdes  A 
partir  de  Tangle  supdrieure  gauche,  de  gauche  d 
droite  et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  ndcessaire.  Le  diagramme  suivant 
illustre  la  mdthode  : 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

515  73 


j^BI 


>  (V 


l^ 


,»■." 


;••>    t^' 


[COl'Y] 


/ii? 

lO'i'^ 

r 

',    ■»•• . 

,.d.. 

-v:* 

{ Ih'.cl 

'  V':  '-  .. 

,.t      i 

'"  If 

ci 

i;ti';,  *.;■ 

L            ,      ,    , 

^iv; 

''  r 

RP  P  O  R  T  '■^'  "^  ''*  ■'■''  ''-■•'•^'^'^^^^^' 

■''■'=    ■     ON  THE  ^^  /■r\-^^'-:'::':>^^^%t 

Salt   Resources  of  Goderich, 


-1  ff- 


PROVINCE  OF  ONTARIO,  [CANADA  WEST] 


BY 


'»  J*,    r 


'i.O 


-«;  --t;? 


;  C.  A.  GOESSMANN,  Ph.  D.,  SYKACUSE,  N.  Y. 


■  rvY  :nil  ' 


The  town  of  Goderich.   Couniy  of  Huron,  Province  of 
Ontario,  Canada,  is  located    upon  eievaled  grounds  along 
the  southern   biUilc  of  the  Maitlmd  River,  at  its  entrance 
into   lake  Huron.     It  covers  a  considerable  area  of  level 
l»nd,  and  contains  about  4000  inhabitants.     The  majority 
of  its   private   dvwlliiigs  and   stores  areola   respectable 
character.     The  ISireets,   which  are   wide   and  spacious 
radiate  Irom  tne  stately  Court  Housm's,  which,  trom  its  size, 
and  the  extent   ol"  the  public  grounds  surrounding  it,    re- 
jirrsents  the  most  prominent  feature  of  the  town.     The  sa 
lubrious  atmosphere,  due  to  its  peculiar  location,  lias  given 
to  the  town  some  reputation  as  a  desirable  Summer  lesort. 

The  Northern  Branch  of  the  Grand  Trunk  Rail  Uoad 
terminates  within  the  Town  limits.  Three  passenger 
trains  leave  daily,  the  extensive  R.  R.  Depot,  »)y  way  of 
JStratfurd,  for  the  East  and  West,  while  a  single  R.  fi.  track 
enters  the  Maitland  River  Valley,  running  along  the  bank 
of  the  River  to  the  wharfs  in  the  Harbor  ot  Goderich,  where 
an  extensive  Freight  Depot  completes  the  Rail  Road  ar- 
rangenjents    for   Lake  freight  transportation. 

The  Harbour  of  Goderich,  at  the  mouth  ol  the  Maitland 
IB  protected  by  two  projecting  bluffs,  and  is  quite  wpaeious 
and  easy  ot  access  lor  vessels  of  every  description,  which 
maintain  direct  communication  with  the  ports  of  the  lower 
and  upi:)er  Lukes  during  the  season  of  Navigation.    ..*^.^-. 


RSH 


The  Maitland  River  encircles  the  Town  from  N.  to  E.  of 
S.  E.,  its  bed  gives  evidence  of  a  considerable  change  of  its 
Tolume  of  water  at  different  seasons,  or,  in  consequence  of 
particular  local  meteorological  causes.  The  peculiar  way 
m  which  the  main  body  of  water  has  worn  out  a  part  of 
the  River  bed  in  the  vicinity  of  Goderich,  presents  decided 
ud vantages  to  rendei>th©  River  for  several  miles  upwards, 
navigable;  the  constfutfiion  of  one  or  two  locks,  with  some 
dredging,  would  secure  direct  navigation  from  the  Lake 
to  the  localities  which  are  favorable  to  the  erection  of  works 
for  an  advantageous  development  of  the  pecuhar  resources 
9f  X3odericii.  Tl]|e  baaiks  of  ther  river  within  the  vioimty  of 
Goderich  are  either  abruptly  rising  towards  the  Town  or  as- 
cending gradually  in  form  of  terraces.  The  present  water- 
mark of  Rfe' River  is  from  eighty  to  one  hundred  feet  below 
the  level  of  the  adjoining  mainland  upon  which  the  north- 
ern and^eastem  part  of  Goderich  is  located.  A  noteworthy 
featiirc'  of  the  Maitland  River  is  its  frequent  and  abrupt 
windings,  a  fact  which  manifests  itself  not  only  in  the  vici- 
nity of  Goderich,  but  characterises  its  whole  course  from 
its  source  to  its  entrance  into  Lake  Huron.  Its  main  di- 
rection is  for  6  to  8  miles  S.  E.  along  the  Grand  Trunk  K. 
It»,  turning  suddenly  to  the  N.  E,  /.       ,  r, 

iv  The  lands  which  border  on  the  Maitland  River  Valley, 
ere  mainly  level,  (with  here  and  there  slight  undulations,)! 
and  are  but  partially  under  cultivation.  The  soil  consists  of  a 
considerable  depth  of  a  drift,  composed  near  Goderiph,  of  a 
gray  clayish  soil,  which  is  largely  intermixed  with  sand 
and  gravel,  and  js  apparently  very  productive.  The  gener- 
al aspect  of  the  country  at  large  is  that  of  a  rich  woodland.^ 
Forests  of  Beech,  Maple,  Ash  and  Oak,  extend  one  hun- 
dred mil^  or  more  along  the  lake  shore  through  Huron 
and  Bruce  Counties  northwardly,  and  Lanibton  County, 
towards  the  South.  The  Lake  shore  as  a  general  rule  is 
represented  to  be  easy  of  access,  affording  a  direct  shipment 
gjf  wood  and  lumber,  by  Lake,  to  the  localities  desired. 
,i,iPntil  quite  recently  Goderich  presented  but  little  interest 
beyond  the  mere  fact  of  being  a  healthy  and  pleasant  Lake 
shore  town, ,  located  at  the  Northern  branch  of  the  Grand 
Trunk  Railroad,  and  serving  ias  a  convenient  place  of  tran- 
sit from  Canada  to  the  Michigan  and  Upper  Lake  Ports. 
To-day,  Goderich  claims  to  possess  within  its  own  limits 
attd  its  immediate  vicinity,  a  Salt  resource  of  considerable 
extent  and  of  superior  quality.  The  discovery  of  this  valu- 
able resource  was  aecidental.    Parties  engaged  in  search- 


'};• 


ing  for  oil  resolved  to  close  up  their  wofks,  without rega^rd 
to  results,  by  going  to  the  depth  of  one  thousand  feet.  HTav- 
ing  attained  the  depth  of  960  feet,  a  highly  saturated  brine 
Was  struck,  instead  of  oil,  and  the  well  was  at  once  con- 
verted to  the  manulacture  of  boiled  salt,  and  is  yet  theonly 
one  worked  lor  the  purpose  of  making  Salt,  at  Goderich. 

The  first  information  of  the  existence  of  a  salt  manufac- 
turing establishment  at  Goderich  came  into  my  hands 
through  the  office  of  the  Salt  Co.  of  Onondaga,  about  the 
80th  March,  1867,  by  a  circular  issued  by  Greo,  Rumball  & 
Co,  of  Goderich,  dated  Dec.  21,  1«66,  in  which  they  an- 
nounced the  completion  of  their  works.  Th^e  actual  in aiiu- 
facture  of  salt  commenced,  I  presume,  latfe  in  the  fall  of 
186$. 

The   mere  fact  of  striking  salt  water  instead  of  oil, 
changing  the  basis  of  operation  from  oil  to  salt,  would' 
have  attracted  little  attention,  had  not  the   advertisemenl? 
been  accompanied  by  a  letter  of  Professor  T.  Sterry  Hunt; 
a  distinguished  chemist  of  Montreal,  in  which  he  states  hfg 
analytical  results  with  the  remark,  that  the  Goderich  brine 
Was  the  most  concentrated  possible,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
the  purest  known.     A  glance  at  the  analytical  statement 
could  not  but  confirm  me  in  the   correctness  of  his  con- 
clusions.    Professor  Hunt,  says,  "the  brine  tested  was  ob-"» 
tained  on  the  24th  August,  1866 ;  its  specific  gravity  waS' 
found  to  be  1.205  equal  to  100  degs.  salometer.    Oneihooe^i, 
and  parts  of  the  brine  contained  •'  ,j  r^/,-vl' 

Common  Salt     :«iJ  u>  ».lir., 259,000      'wiO    .:idki'i 
Gypsum,  1,882 

Chloride  of  Calcium,  0,432 

**    -,     Magnesium,         0,254 

niiV'  ■,;-j 

♦•"A    Saline  Matter,.    261,668 


«^'*    .!« 


Hi'J 


Professor  HttAt  adds ,  "  it  appears  that  a  wine  pint  of 
that  brine  will  yield  2260  grains  of  salt  and  that  21.6  gal- 
lons will  give  a  bushel  (66  pounds)   of  salt,"  &c.,  &c. 
Taking  into  consideration,  under  such  circumstances,  th»* 
geological  character  of  Goderich  and  vicinity^  a  quite  live-* 
ly  interest  was  felt,  and  personal  local  enquiry  in  regard  ta» 
the  nature  and  extent  of  the  newly  opened  Salt  region  de- 
cided upon.     The  results  thus  far  arrived  at  by  myself  majju 
be  summed  in  the  following  statement:     . -..i; .  <>m  ^ii  i  (t> 

Firstly.  The  present  brine  of  Goderich  is  not  t)Hiy  otid  '^ 


6 


of  the  most  conconlratod  known,  bwt  also  one  of  thn  pnro- 
ej»t  (rt),  if  not  the  purest,  at  present  turned  to  practical  use 
lor  the  manufacture  ot  Salt. 

Secondly.  That  the  salt  bearing  region  apparently  ex- 
tends tor  more  than  h/yelve  miles  S.  K.  of  (ioderich,  and 
thus  covers  a  much  larger  area  than  at  present  has  been 
established. 

Thirdly.  That  Goderich  possesses,  in  a  higli  degree,  all 
necessary  additional  resources  and  facilities  for  the  manu- 
iacfure  ol  salt,  and  its  transportation  to  all  the  important 
commercial  points  on  the  Western  Lakes,  and  is  therefore 
the  most  formidable  competitor  the  Salt  works  of  the 
State  of  New  York  have  ever  yet  had  to  contjBnd  witk.  .j 


In  the  following  pages  [  shall  present  some  of  the  most 
important  details  obtained  in  the  course  of  my  examina- 
tions and  inquiries  upon  which  the  foregoing  three  state- 
xnent<<  aje  based.     Soon  after  receiving  the   information 
above  mentioned,  samples  of  brine  and  salt  from  the  God- 
erich works   were   received  from   reliable  parties.     The 
brine  thus  obtained  (April  1867,)  was  perfectly  clear  and 
colorless,  and  remained  in  that  state  lor  some  time  ;  it  set- 
tled afterwards  9  small  quantity  ol  Gypsum   (commonly 
called  Plaster):  no  trace  of  Peroxyd  of  Iron  can  be  noticed 
in  that  sample  of  brine  even  at  the  present  time.     I  sub- 
jected the  brine  to  a  careful  analysis,  which  gave  the  fol- 
lowing result  : 

^'  Specific  gravity  1.105,  equal  to  93  <5  Salometer   at   58  ^ 
Fahr.    One  thousand  parts  ot  that  brine  contained 


ComttibnSalt  .ntTrlcV'  241,433 

Gypsum  ^  5,433 

<Jhlorid«  of  Calcium  0,2 1 6 

Magnesium,       0,33G 


X 


V..' 


■  •S'v. 


Saline  Matter,      247,418 


'■vi^ 


The  iwo  sarat>Ies  of  brines  tested  by  Prof.  Hunt  and' 
wyself  differ  m  the  strength  about  1 .75  per  cent   of  (Salt) 
Chloride  of  Sodium.     The  difference  in  reirard  to  the  per- 
centage ot  Gypsum,  which  affects  but  little   the  relative 
commercial  valuK,  may  find  satisfact(iry  explanation  either 


i 


a)  I  had  no  chanco  to  examine  tlio  brine  of  Saltvillo,    Va. — and  pro- 
«r  oa  that  aooauiit  to  speak  btw  positively  Uuru, 


H' 


•-f- 


,:"f 


ill  varirttions  of  the  salt  deposits,  &c.  from  which  the  brine*- 
orginated,  or  in  the  circumstances  under  which  the  saline 
solutions  have  been  formed.  The  percentage  of  Gypsum 
obtained  by  mys'^lf,  is  still  some\A'liat  less  than  that  con- 
tained in  the  brines  of  Onondaga,  N .  Y.  Comparing  the 
results  of  both  analyses,  in  r<'gard  to  the  per  centage  ot* 
Chloride  ot  Sodium  contained  in  the  Goderich  brines  with 
that  known  to  be  in  the  average  brines  ot  Onondaga 
(al)oat  16  per  cent.,)  we  notice  that  the  Goderich  brine  in 
either  case  exceeds  the  former  by  .*)()  per  cent  of  salt,  or 
more ;  whilst  the  per  centage  of  obnoxious  deliquescent 
chlorides  contained  in  the  bnne  of  Goderich.  amount  only 
to  1-4  or  1-5  of  tiiat  found  in  the  bnnes  of  Onondaga. 

A  sample  of  salt  from  the  Goderich  works  gave  the  fol- 
lowing results  :     p,,  ^mAA-y-i'  ,. 

^^,  (jy,  Snlphateo!  Lime  (Gypsum)     w     /u.  1.4306 
^^         '^•^'oride  of  Calcium      ,..,...;;?         0,0072 
"        "    Magnesium      ' ,; ,     *  :•        0,0313 
••         '•  Sodium  (salt)     :     ..^  ■      97,0309 


Vm 


.,*■"■ 


Moifitur^ 


ki'i  •  i  ,'• 


4,  U.»  J. 


■Ih 


'i  i-'s 


:>.; ,  — 


1,5000 
100,000 


This  sample  of  Salt  in  a  dried  state  would  contain  not 
jfiss  than  y8.5  per  cent,  of  chloride  of  sodium  or  pure  salt; 
it  ranks  consequently  foremost  among  the  common  Fine 
SSalt  (boded)  in  the  market.  The  percentage  of  the  de- 
liquescent chlorides  of  calcium  and  magnesium,  com-  . 
pounds,  which  are  considered  the  most  obnoxious  com- 
ponent parts  ot  brine  or  salt,  compares  most  favorably  with 
the  best  foreign  and  domestic  Salt.  In  fact  the  composi- 
tion of  l!ie  Goderich  brine  is  such  as  to  warrant  a  priori, 
with  but  little  care,  a  superior  salt — Common,  Fine  and 
Coarse.  The  commercial  value  of  the  brine  of  Goderich, 
in  consequence  of  its  superior  purity  and  strength  as  com- 
pared with  the  brine  ol  Onondaga  is,  judging  from  the  pre- 
vious statements,  quite  obvious.  The  1  '•higan  and 
Ohio  River  brines,  1  need  scarcely  add,  have  still  less 
chance  to  compete  successfully  on  anything  like  equal 
terms. 

.,1  improved,  subsequently,  my  chances  for  gathering  in- 
formation, by  visiting  twice  the  Town  of  Goderich  and  its 
vicinity.  I  was  at  Goderich  for  the  iirst  lime  during  the 
Jatter    part  of  June,  1867,  and  again  towards  the  last 


i. 


of  December  of  the  same  year.  At  my  first  visit  I  saw 
one  well  with  boiling  works  attaciied  to  it,  and  heard  of 
another  one  being  fairly  started.  1  found  the  first  well  on 
•eac(i  visit  in  good  running  order,  fully  supplied  with  brine, 
and  turning  out  a  large  amount  of  most  superior  Salt  of  a 
fine  grain  and  in  appearance  similar  to  the  Liverpool  Fine.^ 
The  samples  ot  brine  and  salt,  ot  which  I  stated  the  analy-^ 
aes  above,  were  taken  from  this  establishment.  ■'  '' "^ 
It  The  following  is  a  briet  description  of  the  first  Salt  Man- 
ufacturing Establishmeut  at  Goderich.  The  welt  and 
works  are  located  upon  the  North  side  of  the  Maitland 
River;  east  of  a  large  bridge,  which  secures  the  communi- 
cation between  Goderich  and  its  outskirts  on  the  opposite 
river-bank,  upon  an  elevation  of  about  25  or  30  feet  above 
the  present  water  mark,  and  about  one  mile  and  a  half 
from  the  mouih  of  the  Maitland  River  in  the  Harbor  of 
Goderich.  The  well  is  stated  to  be  exactly  lOOO  feet 
deep  with  iron  cubing  to  almost  its  entire  depth. 

The  pump,  which  iias  been  connected  with  it  for  raising 
the  brine  to  the  supply  tanks  oithe  boiling  works,  is  bui 
two  inches  in  diameter,  and  is  worked  by  a  twenty-five 
horse  power  engine.  The  priginel  bore  of  the  well  is  five 
inches  in  diameter — the  upper  portion  of  the  iron  tubing 
IS  stated  to  be  four  inches,  while  its  lower  portion  is 
smaller. 

The  fpesh  water  circulating  between  the  various  layers 
of  limestone,  which  overlay  the  saliferous  rocks,  rises  with- 
in eight  feet  of  the  surface  of  the  surrounding  grounds  in 
its  immediate  vicinity  ;  the  brine  itself  partaking  but  little 
of  an  artesian  character.  The  grounds  m  the  rear  of  the 
works  ascend  quite  abruptly  to  the  general  level  of  the 
lands  along  the  Maitland  liiver  in  that  District.  They  re- 
port, that  in  sinking  the  well,  they  passed  through  from 
25  to  30  feet  of  coarse  gravel,  .(drift  mass)  after  which  they 
entered  a  series  of  layers  of  harder  and  softer  greyish  lime- 
stone— sometimes  interlaid  with  a  similar  colored  softeif 
elayish  deposit,  usually  ot  limited  thickness.  After  having- 
reached  the  depth  of  960  feet,  much  softer  rocks  were  struck; 
they  noticed  for  the  first  time  in  entering  them  a  saline 
"Watpr  of  considerable  strength,  and  ceased  boring  after 
perforating  these  softer  rocks  40  feet,  making  the  entir^ 
depth  of  the  well  1000  feet.  These  softer  rocks  are  reprfes- 
ented  to  be  layers  ot  Shales,  Gypsum  and  Koek  Salt.  JDuti' 
ing  the  first  attempt  of  pumping  it  is  claimed  there  were 
brought  to  light,  suspended  in  the  brine,  real  crystals  of 


V4' 


J: 


ofl 


*'if0 


Rock  Salt,  Whatever  the  rejil  fact  of  the  last  statement  in 
that  particnlar  may  have  been,  I  did  not  presume  lo  decide. 
I  do  not,  however,  hesitate  to  express  the  belief,  that  at 
least,  a  real  salt  deposit  in  a  a  very  pure  state  could  not  be 
liar  from  a  locality,  from  which  brines  of  the  composition 
and  concentration  as  above  had  been  taken.  ni-<ti/A«  bn^ 
...<;The  sudden  change  (in  that  well)  from  fresh  water  to  a 
strong  brine  at  tlie  depth  of  ^60  feet  could,  in  my  opinion, 
only  find  a  sa^islactory  explanation  in  the  presumption  of 
thefact,  that  an  impermeable  clayish  strata  (shale)  must 
have  excluded,  quite  successfully,  the  fresh  \\ater  drainage 
©f  the  upper  layers  ot  limestone,  &c.,  from  the  lower  sali- 
ferous  rocks;  for  whatever  in  the  course  of  time,  by  a  natur 
al  diffusion  of  saline  solutions  towards  the  surface  might 
have  been  left  undone,  the  plunging  of  the  drill  and  the 
sand  pump  during  the  process  of  boring,  must  have  ac- 
complished in  but  a  few  operations.  Although  at  that  stage 
of  developf.,ent  of  the  salt  resources,  some  grave  objections 
knight  have  been  raised  against  some  of  the  details  of  an 
opinion,  then  current  at  Goderich,  in  regard  to  the  charac- 
ter of  the  supply,  yet  there  remained  inmv  mind  but  little 
doubt  about  the  correctness  of  the  main  feature,  namely, 
close  proximity  of  Rock  Salt  of  an  apparently  extewsive 
character.  Facts  have  since  transpired,  which  lor  the  force 
of  argument,  I  may  introduce  here,  ia  advance  ol  their 
detailed  description  in  proper  connection,  which  have 
settled  further  coiitioversy  on  these  points.  Rock  Salt  ha^ 
been  struck  at  Goderich,  three-fourths  of  a  mile  south  east 
of  ttie  firstwell  heretofore  described,  and  also,  quite  recent- 
ly, at  Clinton,  twelve  to  thirteen  miles  south-east  of  both 
wells.  Some  difficulties  in  regulating  the  amount  of  brine 
were  encountered  as  soon  as  actual  work  for  the  supply  of 
the  boiling  works  began;  these  troubles  (as  I  am  informed) 
have  entirely  ceased,  and  the  brine  has  been  furnished^ 
for  months  past,  of  a  quite  uniform  quality  and  quantity, 
pumping  only  eighteen  hours  per  day.  At  the  beginning, 
when  taxing  the  well  beyond  a  certain  limit,  they  either 
exhausted  the  supply,  or  reduced  materially,  the  strength 
of  the  brine.  Proper  precautions,  as  I  stated,  have  been 
taken  since,  in  consequence  of  which  it  appears,  that  the 
concentration  of  the  brine  fluctuates  within  narrow  limits, 
Xrom  93  <=>  to  95  ^  Salometer,at  58  °  Fahr.  1  have  tested  the 
brine  twice  (June  and  December  of  the  past  year)  directly 
from  the  well.  I  noticed  on  these  occasions  but  little  varia-' 
tionin  strength,  within  the  limits  above  stated,  and  feel 


90 


on  ftccount  in  that  iho;!,  (jUito' ho tislunt  concern iri^^iVs  pres- 
ent sthbility  in  (juality.  Tl)r  dnily  .supply  ol*  hnne  has 
been  sullicienlly  ohtablishod  lo  >vaiTaiil  Iho  prat-tieabiJity 
of  adding  a  third  block  of  sixty  kettK's  to  ihe  prei«ent  o»- 
tablishmcnt^— counting  thu8,  three  blocks  of  one  hundnHl 
and  »ixly-two  keltles  lo  one  well,  with  a  tvro  inch  pump. 
The  proprietors  ot  the  works  expect  to  meet  a  part  of  the 
Jarger  supply  ol  brir;«  required  for  the  future,  by  pnmpin<v 
continually — i.  e  twenty-four  hours  instead  of  eighteen 
hours,  their  present  practice. 

>  .i>>  ^  *  t  r; ,  > .  i  •.  J  •"."  t '>r '1  fvf  oil 
The  boiling  works  coii?iist  at  present  of  two  blocks  ol 
fiity-lwo  kettles  each:  the  capacity  of  *he  kettles  rangeh 
from  120  to  140  gailoni*;  five  men  are  in  attendance  during 
the  day  -•nd  three  during  the  night,  besides  ihe  engineer 
for  the  pump.  'I'he  c'eaning  of  the  kettles,  by  means  of 
fresh  water  during  daytime,  accounts  for  the  increased 
force  of  workmen  during  that  period  of  lime.  Sixteen 
cords  of  hardwood  are  consumed,  of  which  one  cord  and 
a  half  have  to  be  counted  lor  running  the  pump;  a  cor<l  of 
hard  wood  costs  two  Dollars.  "^  A  barrel  for  packing  salt 
costs  thirty  cents;  wages  are  from  one  dollar  twenty  cents 
to  two  dollars.  The  blocks  are  very  substantially  built, 
and  are  supplied  with  lour  large  tanks  for  receiving  the 
brine  from  the  pump,  serving  thus  as  storage-rooms  fur 
the  brine.  No  process  of  settlmg  the  brine  is  practiced. 
The  blocks  are  still  on  Sunday,  according  to  Stale  Law. 
The  only  difficulty  the  partits  at  Goderich  have 
to  contend  with  at  present  is  the  rapid  incrustalion  of  tne 
kettles,  a  trouble  due  to  the  strong  concentration  of  their 
brine  in  connection  with  their  peculiar  system  of  manufac- 
mre.  The  Salt  separates  u.nder  existing  circumstances 
largely  in  a  fine  grain,  which  in  consequencje  of  the  intense 
heat  applied,  bakes  in  considerable  (juantities  to  the  bot- 
tom and  sides  ol  the  kettles,  forming  thereby  within  twenty- 
four  hours  an  incrustatitm  (bitterns)  of  several  inches  thick- 
ness—a result  which  cause  not  only  a  considerable  waste  of 
Salt  fit  for  the  market,  but  inteileres  alsp  very  seriously, 
with  aneconomical  application  of  the  fuel.  The  Salt  is  after 
separation  from  the  pickle  (mother  liquor)  as  might  have 
been  expected  from  a  biine  like  the  Goderich,  of  a  superior 
color,  of  a  hard  and  fine  grain,  resembling  the  best  brands 
i)f  homo  and  lore ign  manufacture,  and  that  success  is  at* 

*All  orices  stated  in  connection  with  the  Goderich  Salt  AVorka  are 
in  o<^ld;  if  Xiot  utiiei'wioe  luontiuut'd. 


ll 


fc^'t 


,,). 


■A'  (,• 


*  tained  without  ahy  buf  ordinalry  narc  required  for  the  man- 
ulacture  of  common  Fine.    It  will  be  noticed  that  tlie  solo  ^. 
objection,   which    may  be    raised    against    the  Goderich 
brine  is  merely  incidental — lor  the  brine  is  too  strong  to  be 
worked  to  its  full  advantage  by  the  system  of  manufacture 
at  present  pursued;  evaporation  by  more  moderate  heat — 
for  instance  on  the  European  plan  of  large  pans  &c.,or  evap- 
oration by  so'ar  heat  in  wooden  vats  on  the  Onondaga  plan, 
would   no   doubt  prove   more  successful;   each  of   these 
methods  would  produce  with  less  trouble  not  only  a  very 
good  marketable  article  of  its  kind,  but  secure  what  is  most 
important — the  lull  precentiige  of  Salt   which  miglit  hf{ 
expected  comparing  its  concentration  for  instance  with  thip   j 
brines  of  Onondaga,  a  diflTerence  of  50  per  cent.    As  timo  . 
will  surely  remedy  the  present  condition  at  Godericli,  |(!  ,,j 
will  be  but  lair  to  presume  equal  experience   aad   skill  ii^  . 
the  management  of  the  manufacture  of  Salt,  ■'vhea  the  ques*    , 
tion  of  the  chances  of  the  Groderich  Salt  for  compe^iitioa  iu  ^^ 
the  general  market  shall  be  discussed  in  some  of  the  f6\'  \, 
lowihg  pages  of  this  paper.  ,  ,o'>*! 

Taking  this  view,  I  need  scarcely  add,  that  the  sutseqiienf  ,' j 
statements  concerning  the  present  financial  operatiQiui.ttfjj.r 
the  Goderich  Salt  Works,  may  claim  more  interest  on  ac-,j|^ 
count  of  what  they  «M^§^e.s/,  than  what  they  now  pre^em^,^.^ 
The  salt  manufacture  is  carried  on  by  a  joiht-stoQk  cpni^^jji 
pany;  the  original  stock  for  sinkiiig  well  and  constfuctiaa  ' 
the  block,  &f^ ,  was  ten  thousand  dollars  (the  expense  ^,f,. 
sinking  was  >r6000) ;  when  the  manufacturing  of  salt  5^'-,, _^ 
gan,  the  capital  was  increased  by  an  additional  subscripr^^ 
tion  of  $4000,  of  which  but  |70O  were  raqiiired  ^9  )^  j^. 
called  in  The  Company  manages  its  business  throiigl},,..j 
one  of  its  stockholders,  and  all  the  salt  made  is  sold  td,Q^|^,  ,f 
party  at  one  dollar  iw^enty-five  cents  per  barrel  at  tjoja.-^j 
works.  Six  months  after  the  works  commenced  ooefatiottej^^^.j^j 
a  dividend  of  15  per  cent,  was  paid  to  the  stockholde|'j^;jj',. 
and  at  the  end  of  the  year  a  further  dividend  was  declariscl .,  ^ 
of  36  pet  cent,  making  a  clear  profit  of  50  per  cent,  ftir  th^e!'.  j  j 
first  year  in  spite  of  many  incidental  expenses  arising  frboji 
a  jii*st  attempt  at  starting  an  entirely  new  businpss,  and  %  ;5 
production  of  salt  three  to  four  bushels  less  to  a  cord  of  •*, 
hard  wood,  than  at  Syracuse,  where  a  brine  is  worlied 
wHfch  contains  fifty  per  cent,  of  salt  ((Jhlorid  of  ^S94;iui)Qi|^.  ^ 
less,  than  that  at  Gcderich.  |,_  .  r,;j  lifVor 

The  following  figures  are  given  to  me  as  a  fair  repres^Qr   , 


ks  are 


B 


1« 


t 


!   I 


$32 
20 


tif  'Vlv  -tvf:  ;r^  -[^.iiV^ 


tation  of  their  expenses  for  the  p^st  year;   six  days  opera*^ ,» 
tiott  every  week;  ten  months  operation;  95  to  100  barrels  ', 
per  day;  24,000  barrels  annual  production.     One  hundred 
barrels  cost,  as  follows,  viz: 

Wood,  '  u.    V 

.  ,,^^SfWtaf}J.   Labor     '^^■^-•'^'^'-^ '0^  ^-<--' 

,!  -¥r*^'     Cartage,    ■v^.  l<.u.:^:.in.-v^vr<.j 

**H^^i*^'    Oil,  &c., 
vrwtri    ;   Interest  on  Capital, 


i'j'ii 


:,!; 


(UA  t;.!'ii. 


Leaving  to  stockholders,  even  at  those  figures,  j^33  pet 
100  barrels  over  and  above  seven  per  cent,  interest  on  the 
capital  invested.  If,  in  addition  to  these  figures,  wc  take 
into  consideration,  that  the  cord  of  hard  wood,  at  present 
produces  but  84 J  bushels,  which  at  a  low  estimation  is 
but  two  thirds  of  the  amount  we  mighii  expect,  judging 
from  analogy,  we  are  forced  to  the  conclusion,  that  the 
prdspects  of  the  Company  are  highly  flattering.  In  con- 
sequence of  the  great  success  of  the  first  enterprise  a  live- 
ly interest  was  aroused  at  Goderich;  other  piarties  embark- 
ed in  the  new  business;  a  second  well  was  started  about 
three-quarters  of  a  mile  to  the  south-east,  upon  the  opposite 
sido  (south  side)  of  the  Maitland  River,  and  in  close  prox- 
imity to  the  freight  house  oi  the  Grand  Trunk  Rail  Road. 

In  sinking  the  well  they  passed  through   95  feet  of  clay 
and  gravel,  entering  subsequently  the  same  series  of  sand- 
stone and  clayish  limestone  rocks,  which  has  been  met  with 
in  the  flrst  well,  and  also  the  shales;  they  stopped  boring 
at  the  depth  ol  110 1^  feet  after  having  penetrated  fifteen 
feet  of  rock  salt.    The  well  was  finished  after  eight  months 
working,  November  last,  1867.     I   examined  this  locality 
during  my  second  visit,  December,  1867,  of  which  I  shall 
speak  from  hence.     Many  changes  could   be  noticed  after 
an  interval  of  six  months.     The  first  salt  works,  doing  an 
extremely  profitable  business  ;    liock    Salt   struck  within 
the  outskirts  ot  Goderich,  the  confidence  in  the   extensive 
character  of  the  Salt  resource  greatly   strengthened;  seven 
derricks,  lining  both  sides  of  the  Maitland  River,  erected, 
ot  which  four  stood  close  to  the  R.  R.;   privileges  for 
switches  to  the  contemplated  works  secured;  contracts  for 
the  construction  of  works  offered;  part  of  the  building  ma- 
terial for  some  of  the  works  procured,  and  ten  companiss 
reported  to  have  been  organized.    There  were  apparently 


il 


-'  .1 


•  'i 
1  > 

n 

(I 

'A 


H 


■r^ 


..a 


ths 
iiy 
all 
ter 
an 
hin 
sive 
yen 
ted, 
for 
for 
ma- 
lias 
itly 


t; 
i\ 


i  \ 


but  three  causes  whleh  governed  the  situation,  viz.;  the 
period  of  time  (6  to  8  months)  required  to  sink  a  well 
through  800  to  900  feet  of  hard  rock;  secondly,  the  lateness 
of  the  season,  and  thirdly,  the  want  of  capital,  owing  tc 
extensive  losses  in  oil  speculations.  In  addition  to  these 
causes  may  be  stated,  that  a  certain  class  of  business  men, 
in  consequence  of  the  recent  report,  that  rock  salt  had 
been  struck  at  Clinton,  12  miles  south-east  of  G-oderich — 
within  one  or  two  hundred  yards  of  the  Grand  Trunk  R. 
R.,  concluded  there  was  too  much  salt  to  make  its  manu« 
facture  pay  under  the  present  commercial  situation  of  Can* 
ada.  ",•■,■;.  ■'  ■      •■■■  ,.  :    ■■  ■■■■-  ?  -^n-m-':         .•■? 

Th*?  consumption  of  salt  outside  of  those  parts  of  Catia* 
da,  which  can  procure  English  salt  at  low  cost,  is  set  down 
to  be  equal  to  six  hundred  barrels  per  day.  The  leading 
men  of  Goderich  are  fully  aware  of  their  condition,  and  feel 
by  no  means  discouraged ;  they  are  prepared  to  offer  in- 
ducements to  outsiders  to  get  started;  they  hint  at  protective 
home  legislation  in  certain  emergencies,  and  feel  quite 
confident,  trusting  in  their  superior  resources  of  valuable 
brine,  their  extensive  supply  of  fuel  and  lumber  and  their 
decided  advantages  of  transportation,  to  be  able  at  a  not 
very  distant  day,  to  enter  our  lake  shore  markets,  even 
under  the  present  tariff.  Whether  their  expectations  may 
be  realized  I  propose  to  answer  by  treating  the  points  of 
advantages  raised,  in  addition  to  what  has  been  said  in  the 
foregoing  pages,  scimewhat  more  in  detail,  each  one  under 
its  particular  heading. 

Resources  of  the  supply  of  Brine  at  Goderich  and  U»  vi- 
^nity,  ^ 

\,.,  When  describing  the  observations  made  at  the  first 
well,  I  reported  the  presence  of  rock  salt  at  the  termination 
of  the  well  was  supposed  to  be  proved  beyond  doubt  in 
consequence  of  bringin^up  fine  crystals  of  rocksalt  suspend- 
ed in  the  brine,  by  aid  ot  the  pump,  which  raised  the  lat- 
ter. As  no  sample  of  rock  salt,  thus  obtained,  could  bo 
produced  for  identification,  1  hesitated  somewhat  in  ac- 
cepting the  theory,  then  favored  at  Goderich.  I  held  the 
opinion,  that  such  a  rapid  change  from  saturation  to  even 
seventy-five  degrees  Salometer  and  back  again  could  not 
be  presumed  to  be  due  to  a  mere  contact  of  Iresh  water 
with  solid  rock  salt  in  so  short  a  space  of  time;  the  pre- 
fii^mption  of  saliferous  rock  permeated  with  fine  crystals  of 
salt  appeared  to  be  a  more  probable  cause.  Whatever  may 
be  the  local  condition  of  salt,  is  in  itself,  here,  ot  no  partic- 


.14 


f>i 


i 


iilar  consequence,  since  one  year's  operation  hiw  8eitl^d 
all  doubts  about  a  safiioient  supply  of  superior  brine  to  in- 
,  «tiie  au  advantageous  worliing  in  thnt  instance.  • . . 

f ;-..;,  The  second  well,  which  as  I  statd  belore.is  sunk  on  tlie 
1  ?  opposite  side  (south  side;  of  the  Maitland  river  at  a  distance 
.f.  of  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  from  the  first  one,  towards  * 
,  the  soutl>iast,  has  established  the  presence  of  Rock  Salt, 
J  One  of  the  proprietors  of  that  well,  the  Hon.  JVl-   C.  Capi- 

-  eron,  Miember  from  that  distnct,  procured  me  some  satn- 
..'iplesof  ilocjv  Salt  as  furnished  by  the  sand  pump; they  en- 
- 1 tered,  according- to  statement,  filteen  to  sixteen  leet  in  tne 

-  J^ock  Salt,     These  samples  of  Rock   Salt   gave  by  their 
peculiar  Iraciure  and  size,   evidence  of  a  colorless^  Bock 

-f  Salt  deposit  of  great  hardness.    1  visited  the  wellfor  the   " 
i.  purpose     of      collecting      brine      ior     analysis, 'attd 
^teisting  its  depth.     1  failed  to  succeed,  lor  the  well  beih"; 
]  ttjit)ed  to  150  feet,  had  filled  up  partly  with  aclayish  miia, 
■  iifi  consequence  of  the  fresh  water  drainage;  the  water  stood 
;t0  about  loOieet  below  the  surface,  and  it  was  fresh  on  t6p; 
;th^,mud.  which  stuck  to  the  te»{  bucket,  was  a  decidedly 
;,|mi»  saline  test,  and  resembled  much  in  color  a   mass  bt 
.crushed  blueish  shade  ol"  the  Onondaga  Salt   group  in  o^r 
iTJoinity.     Taking  all  the   various  information  obtained  iu 
,i  regard  to  the  second  well  into  consideration,  and  the  con- 
V  elusions  we  have  to  arrive  at  are  quite  obvious;  the  actual 
l-pi^esence  of  Rock  Salt,  renders,   under  the  accompanyitig* 
;,iircutn stances,  a  good  supply  of  superior  brine  quite  cer- 
.ttUQu    Thegeneral  confidence  in  thesc^onditions  manifests 
itself  in  the  tact,  that  fiom  lour  to  five  derricks  have  since 
beeii Erected  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  second  well  lining 
.    the  R.  R,  .Track  to  the  east  and    west.     Tne  extent  6f 
; ;;  ground  thus  Tar  explored    would  in  itself  be  sufficient  to 
tflqpport  the  manufacture  of  Salt  on  an  extensive  scale.  The 
id.i«JOvery  of  Bock  Salt  at  Clinton  (from  12  to  14   miles  to 
^    the .  south->east  of  Goderich)  under  similar  geological   con- 
-dilioDs   has  added  much  to  satisfy  all  parties  in  regard  to 
lh0   question  ot  an  abundant  supplf.    The  well  at. Clin- 
ton is  owned  by  Mr.  Kani>ford :  iliave  visitei  the  locality 
The  wiell  was  finishe  I  ^  at  three  weeks  belore  my  arrival.  ^ 
Mr.  R.  wis  absent;  he  resides  in  England  and  had  left  for 
that  country  to  complete  arrangements   for  the  erection  qif 
Salt  Works.  .^,}j,,iif^)  -a.  v. 

it  is  stated  they  passed  through  alx^Tlt  80  to  90  feet  dnft 
m^^^s,  then   through  960  to   970  feet  ot  clayish  limestone 

rmk»  like  those  at  Goderich,  and  30. la  40  feet  of  brittf- 


M 


bearing  shales,  penetrating  finally  15  feel  in  the  Koeic 
3alt.  The  well  is  1185  ieet  deep.  I  obtained  some  aalt 
represented  to  have  been  made  from  the  brine  of  that  well; 
if  such  is  the  case,  lis  composition  must  prove,  tjuite  sag* 
gestive  in  regard  to  the  general  character,  of  the  Salt  bear-, 
ing  basin,  which  apparently  underlies  that  section 
of  Canada.  The  Salt  was  of  a  hard  grain  and  had  been 
.^ubjected  to  much  handling.  T 

iSot  being  familiar  with  the  mode  pursued  in  its  manu- 
facture, 1  pretier  to  retain  the  results  of  my  analysin.  The 
geological  character  of  the  rocks  which  inclose  tha  Salt  re- 
source at  Godericla  and  its  vicinity,  may  be  surmised  from 
the  geological  maps  ol  Canada,  published  by  the  distio- 
guishfd  officers  of  the  geological  board  of  Canada — they 
are  the  same  which  out-crop  in  our  vicinity — the  shales 
of  Onondaga  Salt  group.  .Judging  merely  from  a  cheml- 
cal  point  of  view,  1  presume  Goderich  and  its  vicinity  io 
be  &>t  the  head  of  an  extensive  Salt  deposit,  resting  in  a  de- 
pession  of  the  (:)nondaga  Sail  group,  which,  if  my  result! 
m  regard  to  the  Salt  obtained  at  Clinton  may  be  relied  od* 
appears  to  incline  towards  the  South  East  or  South.  Al- 
though no  systematic  investigaiion  of  the  Salt  resourceis 
has  as  yet  been  made,  sufficient  has  transpired  in  conse- 
qnence  of  accidental  observation,  to  entitle  to  the  boHef  iti 
jtsextensive  charapier.  -.-.iiiiuu  onJ 

Resimrces  of  Wood  and  Lumber  for   Ftiel^  Bm  rels^  conkim- 

tian  of  Buildings  4*c. 

Very  little  remains  to  be  said  in  this  connection.  Cana- 
da &nd  the  adjoining  lake^khores  are  the  acknowledged 
store  houses  for  these  demands.  Syracuse  draws  a  large 
proportion  of  its  materials  for  th?  manufacture  of  barrels 
from  these  localities.  The  general  character  of  the  grounds 
adjoining  Lake  Huron  and  Georgian  Bay,  is  that  of  a  well 
timbered  wood  land.  The  cord  of  wood  sells  at  Goderieh 
in  the  general  market,  for  two  dollars;  what  its  price  wiJl 
be,  if  wood-land  at  the  present  market  price  (ten  to  fifteeii 
dollars)  is  secured  in  localities  along  the  lake  shore,  which, 
as  a  general  rule,  PS  I  am  informed,  is  on  account  of  its 
elevation  easy  of  access,  can  be  better  decided  Dy  parttPii 
acquainted  with  the  details,  bearing  upon  that  questions 
than  I  am  prepared  to  state.  The  price  of  chopping  a  cora 
of  wood  has  been  formerly  fifiy  cents — lately  seventy-fiv^ 
cents.  Even  if  the  forests  g  id  become  exhausted,  thif 
bituminous  Coal  of  Ohio  by  way  of  Cleveland,  might  be 
made  available  under  proper  management,    at  less  ^osi 


t  '.' 


;th«in  the  Salt  Company  of  Oaoridaga  and«t  its' '  pfi^g^rti ar- 
t  raiigement  is  able  to  secure.     We  have   therefore   to  con- 
.  cede  the  correctness  of  the  second  advantage  clahTaed  at 
Godttrich.  ^^i'i"    i 


mp'!t^    u^ili   .    Facilities  of  Trmsportdicm.      x']^^  ^^ 
i      Goderich  being  located  at  the  termination  of  (he  Grafid 
Ttunit  K  R.  hasalltheadvantai^es  for  inland  trade  so  lar 
as  K.  R.  transportation  can  be  made  serviceable.    A  num- 
ber of  the  contemplated  works  are  clustering  around  the 

•  terminus  of  the  R.  K.;  the  K.  R.  Company   has   consented 

•  to  the  construction  of  switches  from   these   works  to   the 
-iFreight  Depot;  the  loading  of  cars   for   the   interior   trade 

can  consequently  be  done  to  some  extent  at  least  at  the 
>  works;  a  connection  by  rails  of  the  R.  R.  depot,  in  the 
-town  of  Goderich,  with  the  R  R.  freight  house  and  wharfs 
inside  ot  the  harbor,  furnishes  also  direct  communication 
with  Lake  Huron.  The  packed  salt  may  be  thus  trans- 
ferred upon  sailing  vessels  with  but  little  delay,  and  I  pres- 
ume but  small  expenses,  for  it  may  prove  ultimately  to  be 
the  best  policy  of  the  R.  R.  Company,  as  far  as 
freighting  business  is  concerned,  to  establish  reas- 
onable rates,  for  they  cin  expect  to  control  only  the  inland 
trdde  within  a  limited  district.  The  facilities  offered  by 
the  Maitland  river,  which  terminates  in  the  harbor  of  God- 
erieh,(must  eventually  check  a  R.  R.  monopoly  even  with- 
in the  Province  of  Ontario. 


M. 


7t*» 


1 


\  '>\  have  me«lioned,  on  a  former  occasion,  that  the  pecu- 
liar way  in  which  the  bed  of  the  Maitland  river  has  been 
worn  out  towards  its  termination,  would  favor  projects  t6 
render  that  river  from  the  harbor  upwards  for  probably 
several  miles  navigable,  along  localities  most  recommend- 
able  for  the  erection  of  works.  The  salt  once  on  board  ot 
vessels,  has  all  the  advantages  of  lake  transportation.  Par- 
ties familiar  with  the  lake  trade  state,  that  ten  cents  might 
be  considered  a  high  figure  for  carrying  a  barrel  of  salt  to 
Chicago,  if  arrangement  for  regular  transportation  cOuid 
be  made.  The  river  outlet  may  act  as  I  mentioned  beford 
as  a  check  against  high  freight  rates  of  R.  R.  Company, 
for  the  salt  may  be  carried  upon  that  route  through  Lake 
Huron  and  Greorgian  Bay,  in  consequence  of  which  it  may 
not  pnly  be  distributed  along  the  shores  of  the  latter,  but 
be.  sent  by  way  of  the  OoUingwood  and  Toronto  R.  R.  into 
the  heart  of  Canadargi?cHiu*ijyqo*<j   laLijji  t^k^wit*;;/^  ■■•^.^i>i- 


m 


It  ar- 

con- 

;d  at 

Jraiid 
BO  lar 
num- 
d  the 
sented 
to  the 

trade 
at  the 
in  the 
wharfs 
j  cation 

trans- 

I  pres- 
y  to  be 

far  as 
1     rcas- 

inland 
red  by 
of  God- 
n  with- 


;  pecti- 
been 
(jects  to 
robably 
nmend- 
oard   ol 
»n.  Par- 
might 
f  salt  to 
could 
beiord 
>mpany,  ^ 
th  Lake 
it  may 
tter,  but 
K.  into 


Viewing,  after  these  few  remarks,  the  map  of  the  north 
em  and  north-western  portion  of  this  Coniinoni  we  feel  in- 
clined   to  yield  to  Goderich  great  facilities  of  traofporta- 
tion  to  most  important  commercial  centres.  -f: 

I  have  to  make  but    a   few  remarks  more  before  con 
eluding  this    Report.      Past   experience    has    apparent- 
ly settled  the  question  of  the  success  of  the  Goderich  Salt,      ; 
as  far  as  the  home  market  is  concerned,    The  production 
of  salt  at  present  is  but  one   sixth  compared  with    their    ^ 
home  demand  of  about  six  hundred  barrels  per  day.    Six 
to  eight,  like  their  present  boiling  works,    could    furnish 
that  demand;  and  as  there  are  already  six  to  seven  wells  lo- 
cated and  partly  started  in  addition  to  the  one    in  running  / 
order,  the  question  arises,   what  will    be  next  in  order. '^ 
We  may  answer  that  question  to  ourselves;  they   will  be  '7 
forced  to  look  for  access  to  our  markets.  „  "  .  v^ 

To  carry  that  design  into  effect,  they  meet  the  provision, j| 
of  our  present  tariff,  "yvhich  is  twenty-lour  cents  (gold)  on\^ 
one  hundred  pounds  of  packed  salt  and  eighteen  cents  7 
on  one  hundred  pounds  of  loose  salt.     Uow  far  ihey  mayi^ 
be  enabled  to  overcome  that  circumstance,  may  be  adduced 
from  the  ioUowing  figures.     Syracuse  Fine  Salt  sold  at 
Chicago  for  two  dollars  and   fifty  cents  during  the  past 
season,  as  I  am  informed    The  salt  works  at  Goderich  with 
but  34i  bushels  to  one  cord  ofwood,cannot  expect  to  com- 
pete with  Syracuse  salt :    it  falls  threo  bushels  at  least  be-  ■ 
nind  in  the  yield  of  the  same  kind  ot  fuel  at  Syracuse;  but 
its  chances  for  competion  change  considerably,  as  soon  as    , 
the  full  amount  of  salt  from  the  Goderich  brine  shall  be 
produced  with  probably  less   labor.     I   stated,  that  that 
brine  contained  fifty  per  cent  of  salt  more,  than  the  brines 
of  Syracuse,   which  additional  amount  to  secure  is  not  a' 
new  problem  to  be  dissolved;  it  is  practically  settled  in  re- 
gard to  fine  boiled  salt  in  England.  To  count  fifty-two  bush- 
els to  one  cord  of  hard  wood  might  be  but  fair.     In  regard 
to  salt  made  by  solar  evaporation,  it  admits   of  no  doubt, 
that  the  full  difference  in  regard  to  the  concentration  of  the 
Goderich  and  Syracuse  brine,   will  find  its  corresponding 
figures  In  the  final  yield.     Taking  this  view   I    can  but 
agree  with  parties  engaged  in  the  salt  business  at  Goder- 
ich, that  seventy  cents  per  barrel    will  be,  before   long, 
their  manufacturing  price  at  Goderich.    Taking  this  fig- 
ure, which  seems  to  be  by  no  means  too  low,  we  find  th© 
following  result : 


/    •    > 


I^ 


j.i 


*'One  Barrel  of  Salt, 
-Freight  to  Chicago, 
Duty  on  280  lbs 


ft 


Salt»  [packed] 
Storage,  selling,  land- 
V  ing,  etc  ,  at  Chicago 


•,-l!>    f;i. 


'     Gold   [140]      Currency    ^^ 

■,!-'.■.-!  ■  [i;i.  •■'■    :  ^''.''.il 

,   .  .      67  MO         ,  .  948-I0O 

}.     Ik'-  .         - 1<. .;  ■/      r;.,       y,     .i<\-) 
2142-100    ,',  iO;..   ..•.  ^^ 


' /  Of'-' 


1  68  62-100      2  36  8  100   .a 

These  figures   would  leave  about   fourteen  cents  profit dr 
on  one  barrel  of   Fine  Salt.     Arrangements  for  sbippingico 
the  salt  loose,  which  might   be  perfected  with   less  incon-,fM 
venience  and  expense  at  Goderich  thao  at  Syracuse,  would /^ 
give  a  still  more  decided  profit  to  the  operators  at   Goder-   ,^ 
ich.     The  present  salt  works  at  Goderich,   if  once   placed 
in  the  condition  previously  mentioned,  might  still  realize,^ 
frdm  22  to  24  per  cent,   profit  on   the   capital    invested-* 
Without  the  existence  of  a  protective  tariff,  the  result  is,  to^ 
obvious  to  need  lurther  comment.  '  '  ,      !  V     - . * , ,,. , ' r 


,'  \i,  >  -•  >  i  I ' 


feyRACuSE,  Jan.  16, 1868! 


"V 


'i'J  ''.''i'lv.) 


rlilV/    ilol  ;   -♦■•'.>    !; 


'..(!r 


CHAS.  A..  GOESSMAN. V/r^'^. 

..  ill  II 


.i'l 


.1 


f 


"J ' 


-Ml     I"        f.  ,       ■  *V:.  ^    > 


■  '1    <■ 


/.LI-  ■  / 

;    ';i;*i    ;?;,:  lit;)  -nlf 


!  jr:   ■«■,•■;    ;  -W'  f  'Mij,'fi'>:>  m  nti 


..r  i. 


,„,    ;  -  ...  ;..,    •<,',■  H    ■  i   j.t..v;i-i  JiH-Ot 


:r,'       ■•■  ■  ^  :  iiUc'jX'IsLuiMKiiiu' 


8-I0O 


8   10Q^,; 

profit 
upping 

incon- 
,  would  , 

Goder-    * 

placed 

realize 
ivested' 
It  is  too 

,'    ;:;o":' 

•I       '  ■'-  '  />i'i>.  .^ 

1  .  ;■  .fn »/,(;' )-: 

[• '  ,4«;  iu<i 

'.:,  li;  r^illi' 
.  iM/:>  ,ii  K!i 
,;ij:  lii;i  'nlf 

il^;  i/;  7.  Ai 
;uil  -"ii  f>"r; -^ 

■  .  j.f:f,lj  ,rlaf 
1.  •ciiiv/.uilui 


